Written a short story or poem? Here’s when to send it to The People’s Friend
Where has the year gone?! It’s mid-November already. Christmas will be here in six weeks, then we’ll be into 2019 and a New Year.
Here at The People’s Friend, we’ve already begun the production process for the stories and poems we’ve chosen for our Christmas and New Year issues. This means that all that work has been approved and purchased, and is now being laid out on pages by our design team. We’re now in the midst of putting together our weekly issues from mid-January onwards.
Our Christmas stories have usually been with us for up to six months before going into production, and then to press.
Why send work in so far in advance?
When your work reaches us, it sits in the reading queue, before being read and passed to Shirley, and then Angela, for their approval. It then has to be sent out for illustration. So it’s a measured and rigorous process and one that takes time.
If you’re thinking about contributing stories or poems to The People’s Friend, the work you’re sending in now should be at least six months ahead of ‘real’ time, to give us a chance to read it and schedule it in time.
What happens if I’m too late for this year?
If you send in a Christmas poem or story now, it’s too late for us to use this year, but no worries; we may ask if we can hold onto it, although this can mean a slightly longer wait to receive a reply, as other time-sensitive stories will take priority in the reading queue. And as we pay on acceptance, this will be also on hold until nearer publication. So sending six months in advance gives your work the best chance of a timely acceptance.
Check our submission guidelines on how to submit to us
Lucy Crichton Better known as “Fiction Editor Lucy”, I am always on the look-out for the very best short stories, poems and pocket novels. As well as sourcing enjoyable content, I enjoy working with our established contributors, encouraging new talent, and celebrating 155 years of “Friend” fiction!
